Roanoke  Island 


ITS 


OCCUPATION 

DEFENSE 

AND    FALL 


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ROANOKE  ISLAND, 


Occupation,  Defense  and  Fall 


LUIS      F.     EMILIO 

(23d  Mass.  Infantry). 


A   PAPER   READ   BEFORE 


Roanoke    Associates, 


New  York  City,  Feb.  9TH,  1891. 


Printed  for  the  Associates. 
1891. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/roanokeislanditsOOemil 


ROANOKE  ISLAND. 


Before  the  first  gun  was  fired  against  Fort  Sumter,  citizens 
of  North  Carolina  seized  Forts  Johnson  and  Caswell.  Gov. 
Clark,  on  April  15th,  1861,  refused  to  furnish  the  quota  of 
State  troops  called  for  by  the  National  Government,  and  soon 
the  Militia  took  possession  of  Fort  Macon  and  the  U.  S. 
Arsenal  at  Fayetteville.  North  Carolina  formally  seceded  on 
May  20th.  Hatteras  and  Ocracoke  Inlets  were  fortified  by  the 
Confederates,  but  fell  into  our  hands  in  August.  To  maintain 
control  of  the  sounds  and  rivers  the  "Mosquito  Fleet,"  under 
Flag-Officer  W.  F.  Lynch,  was  formed,  composed  of  seven  light- 
draught  tugs,  formerly  used  on  the  canals,  armed  with  two 
guns  each. 

Hearing  that  Hatteras  was  threatened  Maj.-Gen.  Huger,  at 
Norfolk,  sent  the  3d  Georgia,  Col.  A.  R.  Wright,  there.  But 
on  reaching  Roanoke  Island,  news  was  received  that  Hatteras 
had  fallen.  This  regiment  then  landed  and  proceeded  to  for- 
tify Roanoke  Island.  Soon  Maj.  G.  H.  Hill,  with  three  com- 
panies of  the  17th  N.  C,  reported  to  Col.  Wright,  and,  late  in 
September,  the  8th  N.  C,  Col.  H.  M.  Shaw,  arrived  at  the 
post. 

Roanoke  guarded  Albemarle  and  Currituck  Sounds  from 

attack  by  way   of   Pamlico   Sound.      It   covered   the   great 

"^  Chowan  and  Roanoke  rivers,  besides  six  smaller  streams,  four 


^ 


Moll 


canals  and  two  railroads.  Norfolk's  supplies  of  pork,  corn 
and  forage  were  drawn  from  this  region.  Its  loss  threatened 
Norfolk,  the  Gosport  Navy  Yard  and  railroad  communication 
from  Richmond  to  the  South. 

Col.  Wright  seems  to  have  been  a  bold  and  energetic 
soldier.  Before  orders  came  for  him  to  remain  on  the  defen- 
sive he  twice  made  our  forces  at  Hatteras  feel  his  proximity. 
On  October  ist,  with  150  men  on  three  steamers,  he  captured 
the  army  tug  "  Fanny,"  with  two  guns  and  forty-seven  soldiers. 
Four  days  after  he  landed  at  Chicamacomico  and  compelled 
the  retirement  of  the  20th  Ind.  to  Hatteras,  with  the  loss  of 
forty  prisoners  and  their  camp.  He  retreated  to  his  boats 
harassed  by  the  gunboat  "  Monticello,"  and  returned  to 
Roanoke  Island.  Thereafter  he  labored  upon  the  defenses  of 
his  post  and  the  construction  of  permanent  quarters. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  the  31st  N.  C.  at  the  island,  Dec.  12th, 
Col.  Wright  and  his  regiment  departed  and  Col.  Shaw,  8th 
N.  C,  took  command.  Later  in  the  same  month  Roanoke 
was  transferred  from  the  department  of  North  Carolina  to 
that  of  Norfolk,  and  Brig.-Gen.  Henry  A.  Wise,  Ex-Governor 
of  Virginia,  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  that  district. 

Having  ordered  his  brigade,  known  as  "Wise's  Legion,"  to 
proceed  to  Roanoke,  Wise  himself  arrived  there  January  6th, 
1862.  After  inspecting  the  defenses  he  found  not  a  fort  in 
the  proper  place.  They  should  have  been,  in  his  opinion, 
located  at  the  south  end  instead  of  the  north.  He  believed 
that  the  Federal  Force,  then  at  Hatteras,  with  the  navy,  could 
land  a  portion  of  the  troops  at  Pugh's  or  Ashby's,  pass  the 
batteries  around  the  north  end  and  gain  their  rear  without 
exchanging  a  shot.  The  troops  were  found  insufficient  in 
number,  badly  armed,  poorly  drilled  and  unpaid.    He  thought 


3,000  infantry  and  eight  field  guns  were  needed  there,  besides 
1,500  men  on  the  ocean  beaches. 

Hurrying  back  to  Norfolk,  Wise,  in  verbal  communications 
and  written  reports  to  Gen.  Huger  and  the  Secretary  of  War, 
set  forth  the  result  of  his  observations,  and  was  unceasing  in 
his  efforts  to  have  these  officers  expedite  the  defenses  and 
re-enforce  him.  Some  of  his  recommendations  were  approved, 
but  nothing  was  done,  although  he  wrote  the  Secretary  of 
War,  "  Delay  is  defeat  now  at  Roanoke  Island,  and,  with  the 
present  means,  Capt.  Lynch  and  I  combined,  cannot  guarantee 
successful  defense  for  a  day."  Wise  returned  to  Nag's  Head, 
opposite  Roanoke  Island,  on  January  30th,  and  but  once 
again  visited  the  island,  for,  on  February  1st,  he  was  seized 
with  an  attack  of  pleurisy,  threatening  pneumonia.  When 
taken  from  the  Head,  February  8th,  he  was  so  weak  that  he 
was  placed  prostrate  in  a  wagon. 

Roanoke,  when  attacked,  was  defended  as  follows  :  On  the 
west  shore,  at  Pork  Point,  was  Fort  Bartow,  with  nine  32- 
pounder  guns  ;  further  north,  Fort  Blanchard,  mounting 
four  32-pounders,  and  furthest  north,  Fort  Huger,  mount- 
ing twelve  32-pounders.  On  the  east  shore  was  Fort  Ellis,  of 
two  32-pounders.  At  Suple's  Hill  (which,  however,  was  not 
a  hill),  in  the  centre  of  the  island,  was  Fort  Defiance.  It  was 
a  redoubt,  or  breastwork,  built  across  the  road.  On  its  right 
was  a  swamp,  and  on  its  left  a  marsh.  The  work  was  some 
seventy  or  eighty  feet  long  with  a  six-foot  parapet,  pierced 
with  three  embrasures  for  field  guns.  In  front,  for  some  600 
yards,  the  ground  had  been  cleared  of  timber.  Across 
Croatan  Sound,  at  Redstone  Point,  was  Fort  Forrest,  mount- 
ing seven  32-pounders.  A  barrier  of  piles  extended  from  the 
east  side  of  Fulker's  Shoals  toward  the  island,  but  with  a  gap 


of  1,700  yards  opposite  Fort  Bartow.  Some  vessels  had  been 
sunk  and  piles  driven  on  the  west  side  of  Fulker's  Shoals. 
Col.  Shaw  had,  after  manning  the  forts,  but  1,024  rank  and 
file.  There  were  three  field-pieces — one  24-pounder,  one  18- 
pounder  and  a  6-pounder,  with  only  12 -pounder  ammunition 
for  the  two  heavier  guns. 

Gen.  A.  E.  Burnside's  "  Coast  Division,  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac," was  under  organization  at  Annapolis,  Maryland.  It 
had  been  Gen.  McClellan's  original  purpose  to  employ  it  on 
the  Potomac  River  and  the  Chesapeake.  But  as  time  passed 
he  determined  to  give  it  a  wider  range  of  operations.  From 
various  causes  it  was  not  possible  to  move  the  division  until 
January,  1862.  On  the  7th  Gen.  Burnside  received  his  instruc- 
tions, which  were  to  first  essay  Roanoke  in  conjunction  with 
the  naval  vessels  of  Flag-Officer  Louis  M.  Goldsborough,  then 
to  attack  New  Berne  and  Fort  Macon.  If  successful,  he 
might  be  called  upon  to  advance  against  Goldsborough  and 
possibly,  Raleigh. 

Burnside's  expedition  sailed  from  Fort  Monroe  January  1  ith, 
on  forty-seven  transports  carrying  some  11,500  troops.  There 
was  a  fleet  of  supply  vessels  and  it  was  accompanied  by  some 
thirty-one  steam  gunboats.  After  enduring  terrible  weather, 
the  vessels  succeeded  in  making  Hatteras  Inlet  with  the  loss 
of  some  craft.  There,  owing  to  the  sandbars  and  a  contin- 
uance of  bad  weather  for  many  days  during  which  the  troops, 
crowded  on  transports,  endured  much  hardship,  the  fleet  was 
only  ready  for  movement  February  5th. 

While  perfectly  aware  of  this  formidable  expedition,  and  its 
time  of  sailing,  the  Confederates  were  at  a  loss  to  know  our 
exact  objective.  Even  after  it  was  heard  from  at  Hatteras, 
the  weather  had   been  so  severe,  and  disasters  so  many,  that 


they  regarded  it  for  a  time  as  a  failure  before  it  had  delivered 
its  stroke. 

But  at  8  a.  m.,  February  6th,  the  Confederates  at  Ashby's 
Landing  on  Roanoke  Island,  consisting  of  two  companies 
with  two  guns,  saw,  dimly  through  the  fog,  four  or  five  Union 
vessels  rconnoitering  in  the  distance.  When  the  fog  lifted, 
some  sixty  craft  were  discovered  at  anchor  eight  or  ten  miles 
away.  The  fact  was  reported  to  Gen.  Wise  at  Nag's  Head, 
and  he  ordered  Col.  Shaw  to  dispute  a  landing  at  the  water's 
edge,  and  extend  the  breastwork  at  Suple's  Hill.  Shaw  at 
once  sent  two  more  companies  to  Ashby's,  another  to  Fort 
Forrest  and  moved  his  main  force  to  Suple's  Hill.  There  his 
troops  bivouacked  for  the  night,  with  detachments  at  Pugh's 
and  Ashby's  with  field  pieces.  His  17th  N.  C.  was  garrison- 
ing the  forts. 

When  day  dawned,  February  7th,  the  fog  was  heavy,  but  at 
9  a.  m.  it  dispersed  and  the  fleet  was  seen  in  motion.  It  came 
on  in  two  divisions,  the  rear  one  having  the  schooner  trans- 
ports in  tow.  Maj.  Williamson,  with  his  detachment  and  gun 
at  Pugh's,  was  ordered  to  remain  so  long  as  there  was  danger 
of  our  landing,  but  if  none  was  attempted,  to  move  up  to 
Ashby's.  There  Col.  Jordan  was  stationed  with  a  detachment 
and  two  guns,  and  as  the  fleet  passed  on  to  engage  the  batte- 
ries, he  was  directed  by  Col.  Shaw  to  fight  at  the  water's  edge 
if  we  tried  to  land,  but  to  retire  to  Suple's  Hill  if  it  was  neces- 
sary in  order  to  save  his  field  pieces. 

Passing  Ashby's,  the  gunboats  engaged  the  west  batter- 
ies. Maj.  G.  H.  Hill,  commanding  Fort  Bartow,  at  11.30 
opened  as  the  fleet  came  in  range,  firing  slowly  at  first  with 
four  guns,  but,  when  the  vessels  fell  back  masking  one  of  them, 
with  only  three  on  the  left  flank.      Capt.  John  S.  Taylor,  in 


8 


charge  of  Fort  Blanchard,  fired  but  eight  shots  from  his  rifled 
pieces,  as  our  vessels  were  out  of  his  range.  After  six  hours 
bombardment  Bartow  is  reported  to  have  sustained  but  little 
damage.  Early  in  the  action,  however,  the  quarters  were  set 
on  fire  and  destroyed,  with  the  small  arms  of  the  garrison. 
The  Confederates  lost  one  killed  and  four  wounded. 

After  entering  the  Sound,  our  vessels  assailed  the  Confed- 
erate gunboats  as  well  as  the  batteries.  Lynch  feared  that  his 
small  vessels  would  be  demolished.  The  "  Curlew  "  was 
struck  by  a  shell  and  driven  to  the  shelter  of  Fort  Forrest,  and 
the  "  Forrest  "  was  disabled,  its  master,  Hoole,  being  wounded 
in  the  head.  Two  midshipmen  each  lost  an  arm  and  some 
three  others  were  wounded.  When  the  action  closed  the  am- 
munition of  Lynch 's  gunboats  was  exhausted.  His  flagship, 
the  "  Sea  Bird,"  had  not  a  charge. 

Observing  a  boat  approaching  the  shore  in  the  afternoon, 
apparently  taking  soundings,  Col.  Jordan  sent  Capt.  Liles  and 
25  men  to  intercept  it.  The  party  had  landed  when  Liles' 
men  fired  on  them,  whereupon  they  retired.  This  is  known 
to  be  the  boat  party  which  Lt.  Andrews,  9th  N.  Y.,  conducted 
so  gallantly.  About  5  p.  m.  the  Federals  were  seen  in  steam- 
ers and  barges  loaded  with  troops  drawing  inshore  towards 
Hammond's  house,  between  which  point  and  where  Col.  Jor- 
dan was  stationed  at  Ashby's,  a  marsh  impassable  for  artillery 
intervened.  Fearful  of  being  cut  off  and  that  his  men  would 
become  confused  under  the  shelling  they  were  subjected  to, 
Jordan  retired  to  save  his  field  guns.  In  his  retreat  he  was 
joined  by  Maj.  Williamson's  detachment  coming  from  Pugh's; 
and  the  whole  force  proceeded  to  Suple's  Hill.  The  troops 
there  under  Col.  Shaw  were  increased  by  the  arrival  of  Lt.- 
Col.   Frank  P.  Anderson,  with  four  companies  of  the  46th, 


and  eight  companies  of  the  59th  Va.,  sent  as  reenforcements 
by  Gen.  Wise. 

It  was  by  this  time  nearly  dark.  As  there  were  no  en- 
trenching tools,  the  breastwork  could  not  be  extended.  The 
redoubt  was  overlaid  with  pine  branches.  Men  were  sent  out 
to  cover  the  battery  and  scouts  to  discover  the  location  of  the 
Federals.  These  latter  returned  reporting  they  had  wounded 
one  of  the  enemy  and  secured  his  gun.  A  picket  of  20  men 
from  the  Legion  (Anderson's  men)  under  Capt.  O.  Jennings 
Wise,  a  son  of  Gen.  Wise,  was  posted.  The  night  passed 
quietly.  It  was  intensely  dark  with  incessant  rain  after  11 
p.  M. 

Some  4,000  Federals  had  landed  from  barges  in  twenty 
minutes  near  Hammond's  house.  After  scouring  the  vicinity, 
the  2 1  st  Mass.,  Lt.-Col.  A.  C.  Maggi,  was  posted,  picketing 
the  front.  No  fires  were  allowed  the  21st  men  and  every  half 
hour  they  silently  fell  into  line.  Before  midnight  the  whole 
division  was  ashore,  with  six  naval  howitzers  under  Midship- 
man B.  F.  Porter,  and  two  small  guns  under  Capt.  E.  G.  Dray- 
ton of  the  "  Highlander."  Five  of  Porter's  guns  were  sent 
out  to  support  the  21st  Mass. 

Early  February  8th,  Company  A,  59th  Va.,  was  sent  from 
Suple's  Hill  to  relieve  Capt.  Wise's  pickets.  Soon  they  re- 
turned, reporting  our  advance  in  force.  Capt.  Wise,  with  his 
own  Company  A,  46th  Va.  (Richmond  Light  Infantry),  Capt. 
Robert  Cole's  Company  C,  46th  Va.,  and  Lt.  Hazlett's  Com- 
pany A,  59th  Va.  (Ben.  McCullough  Rangers),  were  sent  to 
the  left  and  front  of  redoubt  to  skirmish.  Their  right  was 
considered  impassable,  but  some  10  men  of  the  Legion  were 
dispatched  to  watch  that  flank.  Capt.  Schermerhorn  com- 
manded the   24-pounder  on  their  right,  Lt.  T.  C.  Kenney,  the 


i8-pounder  on  their  left,  and  Lt.  W.  B.  Selden,  Engr.  Dept., 
the  6-pounder  at  the  center  embrasure.  As  the  work  only 
held  some  200  men,  Capt.  Whitson's  Company  B,  8th  N.  C, 
Capt.  Liles'  Company  B,  and  Capt.  Knight's  Company  F, 
31st  N.  C,  alone  held  position  there  with  the  gun  detach- 
ments. The  remainder  of  Col.  Shaw's  force  was  posted  some 
250  yards  back,  in  reserve. 

Gen.  Foster  moved  to  the  attack  at  7.30  a.m.,  the  25th  Mass. 
leading,  with  Company  A,  Capt.  Josiah  Pickett,  skirmishing, 
supported  by  Company  E,  Capt.  Thos.  O'Neill.  Reaching  a 
small  clearing,  the  Confederate  pickets  fired  and  fell  back  on 
a  run.  Following  the  narrow  and  winding  road  through  low 
ground  covered  with  small  pines  and  undergrowth,  our  force 
came  to  the  open  space  in  front  of  the  redoubt.  There  the 
road  turned  to  the  left  and  ran  on  over  a  causeway  to  the 
battery. 

The  25th  Mass.  deployed  into  line  with  the  23rd  Mass.  in 
support.  Porter's  howitzers  went  into  battery  on  or  near  the 
road,  with  Drayton's  12 -pounder  in  reserve.  Gen.  Foster  was 
close  by  the  guns  overlooking  the  field.  It  was  8  a.m.  as  the 
action  opened  with  musketry  and  cannon  shots,  the  enemy 
replying  mainly  from  Wise's  skirmishers  and  a  steady  gun  fire. 
As  the  27th  Mass.  and  10th  Conn,  came  into  line  on  the  left 
and  front,  they  could  only  find  space  to  deliver  their  fire  by 
companies.  Foster's  Brigade  was  now  all  engaged  except  the 
24th  Mass.,  detained  by  their  transport  grounding.  The  23d 
Mass.  followed  by  the  27th  Mass.  were  then  sent  to  turn  the 
enemy's  left  through  the  swamp.  Reno's  regiments  were 
coming  up  in  the  following  order:  21st  Mass.,  51st  N.  Y.,  9th 
N.  J.,  and  51st  Pa. 

Whenever  the  Confederates  thought  we  were  massing  or 


preparing  for  an  advance,  their  shots  swelled  out  into  heavier 
firing.  The  skirmishers  of  the  Legion  were  forced  back  into 
line  with  the  battery  on  the  flank.  Capt.  Wise  was  struck,  and, 
while  being  carried  from  the  field  in  a  blanket,  received  two 
other  wounds. 

Reno  was  now  sent  to  turn  the  enemy's  right;  the  21st  Mass. 
leading  in,  followed  by  the  other  regiments  in  order.  To  re- 
enforce  the  three  Confederate  companies  holding  the  redoubt, 
Companies  E  and  K,  59th  Virginia,  and  Company  E,  8th  N.  C, 
were  brought  from  the  reserves.  Crossing  the  open  ground 
they  ran  the  gauntlet  of  our  heavy  fire,  by  which  one  officer 
was  killed  and  three  wounded.  Porter's  gun  ammuni- 
tion becoming  rapidly  expended,  Gen.  Foster  ordered  a 
supply  kept  of  ten  rounds  per  gun  ;  but  Porter  continued 
to  fire  a  shot  every  two  minutes  against  the  enemy's  re- 
serves. 

Parke's  5th  R.  I.  Battalion  had  been  sent  to  occupy  Ashby's 
house,  and  the  8th  Conn,  was  detached  to  hold  the  landing  at 
Hammond's.  So  Parke  only  brought  up  the  4th  R.  I.  and 
9th  N.  Y.  Rodman  led  the  4th  R.  I.  across  the  clearing  to 
support  the  27th  Mass.  on  our  right  in  the  swamp.  The  10th 
Conn,  relieved  the  25th  Mass.  in  Foster's  front  as  its  cartridges 
were  exhausted. 

By  10.30  a.m.  the  heavy  odds  against  the  Confederates 
began  to  tell.  Capt.  Coles  of  the  Legion  was  killed  by  a  shot 
in  the  breast.  At  11  o'clock  Lt.  Selden,  struck  by  a  ball  in 
the  head,  fell  dead  beside  his  6-pounder  without  a  groan. 
Capt.  Whitson,  on  the  right  of  the  redoubt,  at  11.30,  was 
obliged  to  double  back  his  men  to  diminish  the  front  exposed, 
having  by  that  hour  lost  two  men  killed  and  four  wounded. 
Reno   had  proceeded  to  Gen.  Foster's  station,  and,  meeting 


Gen.  Parke,  the  final   plan  for  the   assault  was  determined 
upon. 

It  was  now  just  after  midday.  Reno's  men  had  pushed 
through  the  Swamp  and  flanked  the  redoubt.  Only  some  ioo 
yards  of  open  ground  intervened  between  them  and  the  earth- 
work, into  the  rear  of  which  they  were  firing.  On  our  right 
the  four  leading  companies  of  the  23d  Mass.  had  struggled 
through  wood  and  water  to  the  edge  of  the  marsh  and  opened 
a  fusilade,  raking  the  Confederate  line.  In  front  the  Federals 
still  poured  in  their  musketry. 

Such  was  the  situation  when  the  Confederates  retreated. 
Col.  Shaw  thus  speaks  of  the  event:  "  An  unceasing  and  effec- 
tive fire  was  kept  up  from  7  a.m.  until  12.20,  when  our  artillery 
ammunition,  having  been  exhausted  and  our  right  flank  having 
been  turned  by  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy,  I  was 
compelled  to  yield  the  place."  At  about  the  same  time  the 
enemy  retired,  the  Federals  charged  the  work,  securing  the 
guns  but  no  prisoners,  except  one  or  two  wounded  men. 

Gen.  Foster,  in  his  report  says  "  After  the  engagement 
(which  commenced  at  8  o'clock)  had  lasted  three  and  a  half 
hours,  the  9th  N.  Y.  (the  last  of  Gen.  Parke's  regiments) 
coming  on  the  field  followed  by  the  24th  Mass.,  I  directed 
Gen.  Parke  to  order  it  to  charge.  The  order  was  given  and 
the  regiment  charged  at  a  run  with  yells,  cheered  by  the  other 
troops,  right  up  the  road  to  the  battery.  Maj.  Kimball  of  the 
regiment,  exhibited  marked  gallantry,  leading  the  charge  by 
several  rods.  The  enemy  left  the  battery.  Their  retreat, 
however,  was  necessary  from  other  causes,  for  Gen.  Reno  had. 
by  this  time,  turned  the  enemy's  right  and  was  firing  into  the 
rear  of  their  battery  and  charging  at  the  same  time  into  them, 
and  the  23d  Mass.,  at  the  head  of  Parke's  column,  sent  to 


13 


turn  the  enemy's  left,  had  also  made  its  appearance  on  the 
other  flank." 

Reno  says  that  his  order  to  charge,  was  gallantly  executed 
by  the  21st  Mass.,  51st  N.  Y.,  and  9th  N.  J.  His  51st  Pa. 
did  not  get  up  in  time.  He  adds  "  The  honor  of  first  entering 
the  fort  is  divided  between  the  21st  Mass.  and  the  51st  N.  Y., 
but  all  charged  gallantly.  Gen.  Parke  was  in  the  act  of  turn- 
ing their  left  when  my  brigade  charged  and  carried  the  bat- 
tery." Gen.  Parke  reports  the  charge  of  the  9th  N.  Y.,  saying 
"  This  was  done  in  gallant  style,  Maj.  Kimball  taking  the 
lead  "  and  further  on,  "  Before  reaching  the  entrenchment  the 
enemy  retreated  through  the  timber." 

In  fifteen  minutes  Reno  started  in  pursuit  with  the  21st 
Mass.  leading.  Foster  sent  word  to  Gen.  Burnside  of  the 
result  of  the  engagement,  and  then  followed  Reno  with  the 
24th  Mass.  At  a  cross-road  leading  to  the  right,  the  9th  N. 
Y.  was  sent  to  the  shore  where  it  occupied  the  abandoned 
Fort  Ellis,  and  secured  a  number  of  prisoners,  including  Capt. 
Wise.  A  mile  from  the  Confederate  camp,  Reno  halted  and 
Foster  coming  up,  took  the  lead. 

In  moving  forward,  Capt.  Bradford's  company  of  the  21st 
Mass.  in  advance,  came  upon  a  body  of  the  enemy  whom  he 
ordered  to  surrender,  but  they  fired  upon  him  and  a  light 
skirmish  ensued.  This  was  the  2nd  Battallion  N.  C.  troops 
under  Lt.-Col.  W.  J.  Green,  sent  from  Nag's  Head.  Another 
re-enforcement  consisting  of  four  companies  of  the  46th 
Va.  under  Maj.  H.  W.  Fry  also  arrived  from  the  same  place 
too  late  for  the  action.  Wise  had  but  150  men  remaining  at 
Nag's  Head  after  despatching  these  troops. 

Nearing  the  upper  end  of  the  Island,  Gen.  Foster  was  met 
by  Lt.-Col.  Fowle,  bearing  a  flag  of  truce  from  Col.  Shaw, 


14 


asking  what  terms  would  be  granted.  Foster  replied  "  none 
but  those  of  unconditional  surrender,"  thus  anticipating  by 
eight  days  the  similar  reply  of  Gen.  Grant  to  Gen.  Buckner  at 
Fort  Donelson.  Time  was  given  Lt.-Col.  Fowle  to  report  to 
Col.  Shaw  and  Maj.  Robert  Stevenson,  24th  Mass.  accom- 
panied him.  Becoming  impatient,  Foster  advanced  the  24th 
Mass.  and  when  near  the  Confederates,  received  an  accept- 
ance of  his  terms.  The  main  camp  was  then  occupied  and 
the  surrender  consummated.  Gen.  Reno  meanwhile  secured 
the  31st  N.  C.  and  its  camp,  near  by.  Gen.  Parke  with  the 
4th  R.  I.  and  10th  Conn,  occupied  the  abandoned  Fort 
Bartow. 

During  the  land  operations  the  navy  was  not  idle.  At  9  a. 
m.  on  the  8th,  the  fleet  advanced  when  Maj.  Hill  opened  at 
Fort  Bartow.  A  desultory  firing  was  kept  up  until  12.30  p.  m. 
the  fort  expending  some  forty  rounds.  Receiving  word  of 
their  defeat  at  Fort  Defiance,  the  west  forts  were  abandoned 
after  destroying  some  ammunition  and  spiking  the  guns.  Lt. 
Pulley  and  17  men  at  Fort  Ellis  escaped  to  the  main-land. 
Our  navy  at  4  p.  m.  broke  through  the  obstructions  in  the 
Sound,  and  the  Confederates  at  Fort  Forest  burned  that 
work.  In  the  evening  it  blew  up,  as  did  the  Curlew,  which 
had  been  fired.  Lynch's  vessels  retired  toward  Elizabeth 
City. 

Our  naval  casualities  including  those  ashore  with  Midship- 
man Porter,  were  six  killed  and  seventeen  wounded.  In  our 
1  and  force  the  loss  by  regiments  was  as  follows  : 


i5 


ioth  Conn 55  9th  N.  Y 17 

25th  Mass 50  27th  Mass 16 

2 1st  Mass 44  23d  Mass 11 

9th  N.  J 37  99th  N.  Y.,  Co.  B 7 

51st  N.  Y 23  31st  Pa 3 

A  total  of  263. 

This  total  comprised  4  officers  and  32  men  killed,  10 
officers  and  204  men  wounded,  and  13  men  captured  or  miss- 
ing. To  it  must  be  added  Lt.-Col.  Viguer  De  Monteil,  53d 
N.  Y.,  a  volunteer,  who  was  killed  in  the  very  front,  after 
most  gallant  service.  The  other  officers  killed  were :  Col. 
Chas.  L.  Russell,  ioth  Conn.  ;  Lt.  Henry  M.  Stillman,  ioth 
Conn.;  Capt.  Joseph  J.  Henry,  9th  N.  J.,  and  Lt.  John 
Goodwin,  23d  Mass. 

The  24th  Mass.,  4th  and  5th  R.  I.,  8th  Conn,  and  1st  N.  Y. 
Marine  Artillery,  sustained  no  casualities. 

On  the  part  of  the  Confederates  the  casualities  were,  as 
specifically  as  can  be  ascertained,  as  follows  : 

8th,  17th  and  31st  N.C..  46        Engr.  Dept.,  Lt.  Selden..     1 

46th  and  59th  Va 34 

A  total  of  81. 

Of  these  23  were  killed  and  58  wounded.  They  report  62 
missing,  but  they  are  supposed  to  have  escaped.  Among 
those  mortally  wounded  was  Capt.  Wise.  After  capture  he 
was  taken  to  a  house,  where,  after  receiving  medical  atten- 
tion, he  died.  He  was  the  "  fighting  editor  "  of  the  Richmond 
Enquirer,  and  for  a  time  Secretary  of  Legation  at  Berlin. 
The  bodies  of  Wise,  Coles,  and  Selden  were  given  up  to  the 
people  of  a  truce  steamer  shortly  after  the  battle. 


i6 


By  this  victory  were  captured  6  forts,  40  guns,  3,000  small 
arms,  2,677  prisoners,  and  large  supplies.  Among  the  Con- 
federate officers  were  several  West  Point  graduates.  Five 
had  been  "  filibusters."  Of  these  latter  was  Lt.-Col.  Ander- 
son, a  native  of  New  York,  who  was  one  of  Walker's  original 
fifty-six  in  the  Nicaraguan  Expedition.  Dr.  Coles,  of  Wise's 
Legion,  was  well  known  in  New  York  City,  having  been  at 
Bellevue  Hospital.     He  was  a  cousin  of  Capt.  Coles. 

Wise  reports  that  some  150  men  escaped  from  Roanoke  to 
Nag's  Head.  That  place  was  abandoned  on  the  evening  of 
February  8th,  when  Wise  retired  fifteen  miles  to  Gallop's 
Ferry.  The  Confederate  vessels  were  followed  by  the  Union 
fleet  up  the  Pasquotank  River,  and  either  captured  or  destroyed 
on  the  10th,  after  a  gallant  action. 

This  success  at  Roanoke,  coming  between  the  capture  of 
Fort  Henry  and  that  of  Fort  Donelson,  created  intense  enthu- 
siasm in  the  North.  Bells  were  rung,  salutes  fired,  flags  dis- 
played, the  price  of  gold  fell,  and  the  thanks  of  the  President 
were  tendered  the  victors.  It  was  the  first  large  capture  of 
Confederates  in  the  war,  and  gave  heart  to  the  Unionists 
everywhere.  In  the  South,  the  contrary  effect  was  produced. 
The  Richmond  Examiner  said  :  "  The  loss  of  an  entire  army 
at  Roanoke  Island  is  certainly  the  most  painful  event  of  the 
war."  In  view  of  our  successes  east  and  west,  the  Raleigh 
Register  said  :  "  Must  the  South  give  up  its  Ship  of  State  and 
strike  its  flag,  that  flag  which  in  so  short  a  period  has  waved 
triumphantly  over  so  many  battle  fields  ?  Must  the  people  of 
the  South  become  serfs  and  vassals  of  the  damnable  Yankees 
and  the  scoff  and  scorn  of  the  nations  of  the  earth  ?  Never  ! 
Never  !     Never  !  " 

While  criticism  should  be  left  to  abler  pens,  the  thought 


i7 


naturally  arises,  why,  instead  of  moving  against  New  Berne, 
some  of  the  fruits  of  victory  at  Roanoke  open  to  our  hands  at 
the  northward  were  not  gathered. 

A  committee  of  the  Confederate  House  of  Representatives 
conducted  an  inquiry  into  the  loss  of  Roanoke  Island.  It 
reported  that  Gen.  Wise  was  in  no  way  responsible  for  the 
disaster,  and  that  the  Secretary  of  War  and  Gen.  Huger  had 
timely  notice  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  defences,  and  could 
have  thrown  a  large  reinforcement  there  in  a  few  hours.  At 
least  they  could  have  saved  Gen.  Wise's  garrison  by  order- 
ing its  withdrawal,  if  they  could  not  have  aided  him.  In 
view  of  all  the  facts,  this  committee  found  that  :  "Whatever' 
of  blame  and  responsibility  is  justly  attributable  to  any  one 
must  be  attached  to  Maj.-Gen.  Huger  and  the  late  Secretary 
of  War,  Judah  P.  Benjamin." 

A  fitting  conclusion  to  this  paper  is  the  following  congrat- 
ulatory order  to  you  and  your  comrades,  which  may  on  this 
day  be  most  properly  recalled  : 

"Headquarters  Dept.  of  N.  Carolina, 

Roanoke  Island,  N.  C,  Feb'y  9th,  1862. 

General  Orders : 
Number  17  : 

The  General  commanding  congratulates  his  troops  on  their 
brilliant  and  successful  occupation  of  Roanoke  Island.  The 
courage  and  steadiness  they  have  shown  under  fire  is  what  he 
expected  from  them,  and  he  accepts  it  as  a  token  of  future 
victory.  Each  regiment  on  the  island  will  inscribe  on  its  ban- 
ner, 'Roanoke  Island,  February  8th,  1862.'  The  highest 
praise  is  due  to  Brig.-Gens.  Foster,  Reno  and  Parke,  who  so 


i8 


bravely  and  energetically  carried  out  the  movement  that  has 
resulted  in  the  complete  success  of  the  Union  arms. 

By  command  of 

Brig.-Gen.  A.  E.  Burnside. 


Lewis  Richmond, 
Asst.  Adjt-Gen'l." 


i 


mBmm%>mm 


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